Circular-knitting machine



' March 31, 1931. J. HAAs ET AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'g1/mute@ wssell Evans,

Cltbozum Mmh 31, 1931. i HMS ET AL 1,798,601

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1927 3 sheets-sheet 2 31am-@mfom lfosh HeLa/.5, Rzwse ll ,Er/vans,

March 31, 1931. J. HAAs ET A1.. 1,798,601.

CIRCULAR KNTTIING MACHINE Patented Mar. 31, 1931 ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i JOSEPH HAAS AND RUSSELL EVANS, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS TOTHE INTERWOVEN MILLS, INC.; OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE Application led November 14, 1927. Serial No. 233,145.

This invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly to that type which is commonly known in the art as split-foot machines which are constructed to knit the leg and foot portion of a gentlemens sock with a reinforcement in the heel and toe. The present invention is designed essentially as an attachment for circular split-foot machines of the type generally illustrated in Hemphill Patent 933,443 and known to the trade as the Banner machine, which in addition to the parts disclosedin said patent, carries a striper attachn'ient for producing a horizontally7 striped sock.

The essential feature of this inreniton is to provide a simple and ellicient mechanism for inserting at the proper time in the formation of the toe pocket, a reinforcing or plating thread so as to protect the stocking against the wear of the great toe nail.

Socks of this character have the toe pocket at the present time knitted of a heavier thread than is employed in the leg and upper foot portion of the sock but even this has been found to be insu'llicient protection against the constant rubbing of the sock by the great toe nail against the shoe cap.j lVith all seamless stockings7 there is a line of, what are termed selvage stitches at each side ofthe toe portion which joinsI the upper and lower edges of the toc pocket and by reason of the joining of the stitches of the upper and lower portions, the selvage stitches produced form a line of considerable thickness which frequently comes into contact with the tender skin at .the side of the great toe a little back of the front end or tip and if increased in thickness would produce unpleasant irritation and result in discomfort to the wearer, possibly causing water blisters or other similar results where the stocking is worn by parties having very tender feet. It follows that any increase in the thickness of the reinforcing across the toe must be sufficient to protect the stocking against the wear of the great toe nail and yet notcxtend to the selvage stitches back of the point engaged by the great toe nail, so as to increase their bulk beyond this point and thereby increase the irritation which would result from a thickcned line of this character.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide means for inserting a reinforcement in the formation of the upper portion of the toe pocket which increases its ability to resist wear from the great toe and yet to localize such reinforcement so that it does not extend to the side gores of the toe pocket back of the point engaged by the great toe nail and thereby avoids increasing the bulk of the selvage stitches where they would be calculated to produce irritation. Ve therefore provide mechanism which will insert a reinforcing thread in the nature of a plating thread immediately over that portion of the toe pocket which is subjected to the wear of the great toe nail and carry such reinforcement back sufficiently far to insure this result but without knitting in the plating thread to the side gores of the toe pocket back of the point engaged by the great toe nail, thereby leaving the major portion of said side gores free of the reinforcement which would bulk up the selvage stitches and produce a line calculated to cause irritation and discomfort so that While the wearing qualities of the stocking are increased materially, the selvage stitches are not increased ata point where they would cause discomfort to tllile wearer, due to rubbing pressure from the s oe.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the follow-ing specific description is read in connection with the accompanying `drawing which forms a part of this invention and in which Fig. l is a side elevation more or less diagrammatic, showing our invention applied to a circular knitting machine of the Banner type;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation taken from a point opposite to that in Fig. l, with parts of the side plate of the machine broken away to better illustrate certain connections; v

Fig. 3 is a detailed elevation of certain portions of the knitting machine illustrating certain of the parts of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic rear elevation;

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section showing the yarn fingers and their operating connections in side elevation;

Fig. 6 is a detailed horizontal sectional View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, and

Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view showine' the connection of one of the pattern levers With its pull rod or wire.

The Hemphill Banner machine as generally illustrated in the Hemphill Patent 933,443 comprises a base plate 1 which is supported upon legs 2 and has rising therefrom a pair of side plates 3 and 3a supporting a top 4 upon which the knitting head 5 is carried. Journalled in suitable lbearingfs in the side plates 3 and 3 is what is known as the pattern sha-ft 6 having connected thereto the customary ratchet wheel 7 operated intermittently by -mechanism not disclosed herein through the 104tooth gear shown at 8. The shaft 6 also carries the sprocket 9 over which the pattern chain 10 is adapted to travel in the usual manner and this pattern chain throws, by means of lugs on its links, certain pawls one of which is illustrated at 11. This pawl, where the Banner machine has a striper attachment applied thereto, is connected by means of a link 12 to .a lever 13 pivoted at 14 to the side plate 3. The rear end of this lever is connected by means of a link 15 to the pattern chain pawl holder 16 which as shown in Fig. 4 is substantially L-shaped.

This pawl holder is freely pivoted upon the striper pattern shaft 17 and has its upper right-angular end extended horizontally over the pattern chain sprocket 18 and over the pattern disc shaft ratchet 19 as shown in Fig. 4.

Pivoted on the side plate 3 which supports the lever 13 is the pattern chain pawl 2O having its forward end formed into a chain en gaging foot 21 which is adapted to rest upon the striper pattern chain 22 when released as will be hereinafter described. This pawl 20 is supported in elevated position by the pawl holder 16 but immediately upon being released by such pawl holder is forced into engagement with the pattern chain 22 by a contractile spring 23 which is also connected to the rear end of the lever 13 and serves to return the pawl holder and lever 13 to their normal positions as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Pivoted tothe under side of the top 4 is a depending link 24 which carries the pattern chain pawl 25 adapted to ride idly over the ratchet wheel 19 in one movement and to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel in the opposite movement The link 24 is engaged with the pawl holder 16 and when this latter part is in its normal position shown in Fig. 1, the link 24 is held out of the path of a roller stud 26 secured eccentrically to the inner side of the -104tooth gear 8. When, however,

`which may be placed in the the paWl holder 16 is retracted by the elevation of the pawl 11 and the depression of the rear end of the lever 13 against the tension of the spring 23, the link 24 will be drawn rearwardly by the action of the spring 27, connected at one end to the link 24 adjacent its upper end and at its opposite end lto the inner side of the side plate 3 so as to bring the link 24 within the path of the eccentric roller stud 26. This roller stud then camming upon the link 24 and forcing the same rearwardlycauses the pawl 26 to engage and rotate the ratchet 19 which is keyed as shown in Fig. 4 to the striper pattern shaft 17.

All of the foregoing mechanism is a part of the usual Banner machine with horizontal sti-iper attachment and forms no part of this present invention except as it cooperates with the elements which will now be described.

Projecting inwardly from the side plate 3n is a stud 28 upon which is pivoted a pair of levers 29 and 30 each of which is adapted to bear at itsrear end upon the pattern disc 31 which in this instance is shown as suppliedA with three sets of cams as particularly shown in Fig. 3 and each set consisting of cams 32 and 33. Each cam 32 is adapted to elevate the rear end of the lever 29 while each cam 33 is adapted to elevate the rear end of the lever 30.

The lever 29 is extended into the machine toward the forward end thereof and has connected to its inner end a wire or link 34 which Y extends upwardly through the top 4 and into the yarn change lever bracket 35 where it is connected at its upper end to a yarn change lever 36 pivoted to the bracket 35 as particularly shown in Fig. 5. This lever has its forward end bearing upon the under side of a yarn finger 37, as is customary, which finger is acted Aupon by a spring 38 to normally throw it into operative yarn feeding position, but is held out of operative position by the yarn change lever 36 until the rear end of said lever is elevated so as to release the finger 37 to the action of the spring 38.

The lever 30 hasv connected to its rear end a rod 39 pivoted at its upper end to the horizontal arm of a bell crank lever 4Q pivoted at 41 to a bracket 42 depending from the top 4. The vertical arm of this bell crank lever is bifurcated as shown to receive a laterally eX- tending stud 43 carried' upon a sleeve 44 slidvably mounted upon a shaft 45 secured in bearings 46 depending from the top 4. The sleeve 44 is normally thrown to the left in Fig. 4 by means of a spiral spring 47 surrounding the shaft 45 between the bearing 46 and the end of the sleeve.

Carried at one e-nd of the sleeve 44 is an arm 48 provided with a cam engaging foot 49 path of the high shaft 51 through to which it is attached.

splice cam 50 keyed to the the usual clutch 51x At the opposite end of the sleeve 44 a second arm projects therefrom indicated at 52 extending at right angles to the ariii 4S and having pivotally connected tliei'eto a rod 53 which extends upwardly through the top 4 and is connected in the yarn change bracket to the rod 34 so as to operate the yarn change lever 36 as will he vhereinafter described. The arin 4S as shown is moved toward the shaft 51 by a leaf spring 54 shown in Fig.

Tn the operation of the device as thus far described when the pawl 11 is raised by a lug on the pattern chain l() the forward end of the lever 13 will lie elevated and its rear end depressed against the tension of the spring 23.. This depression of the rear end of the lever 13 will throw the link l5, pull the pawl holder to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. and thus permit the pawl to drop onto the chain pawl holder 16 also releases the link 24 w'liicli is then drawn into the path of the,.e6centric stud 26 in the 104tooth gear/and is thus reciproeated back and forth/bfiv said stud so long as the pawl holder 1 6 remains retracted, the pawlliolder beingheld in retracted position by a notch 2l-f`ornied on the under side of the pawl.

The forward movement of the link 24 as actuated by the stud 26 will cause a rotation p of the shaft 17 so long as the pawl 20 remains in engagement with the pattern chain iVhen, however, a lug link on the pattern chain is brought into engagement with the depending foot 21 of the pawl 2O this pawl is then elevated which frees `the pawl holder from the locking notch and thus permits the spring 23 to restore said pawl holder to its normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. This movement of the pawl holder carries the link 24 out of the path of the stud 26 and no further rotation of the pattern shaft 17 will occur until another lug. on the pattern chain 10 is brought into engagement with theV pawl 11.

During the normal knitting of the leg, foot and toe and under portion of the toe of the stocking, the lever 29 has its rear end resting upon one of the cams 32 and elevated above the surface of the disc 31. This causes the inner end of the lever 29 to be depressed so that the forward end of the yarn change lever 36 is held elevated and the yarn finger also elevated so as to keep the yarn carried thereby out of the path of the needles. lVhen a lug on the pattern 'chain 10 lifts the pawl 11 and through the mechanism just described the pattern shaft -17 is rotated, the disc 31 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 so as to carry the cam 32' which has been supporting the rear end of the lever 29 out of engagement with such lever. This perm`ts the spring 38 to throw the particular varn finger down into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and elevate the forward end of the The retraction of the lever 29 through the lever 36 and link 34. Thus the yarn carried by the finger 37 is drawn into the path of the needles and is maintained in such position so long as the rear end of the lever 29 rests upon the surface ofthe pattern disc 3l. When th'e rear end of the lever 29 is again elevated the yarn finger 37 isl thrown out of operation through the depression of the inner or front end of the lever 29 and the elevation of the forward end of the yarn change lever 36. t

As has been before explained the spring 47 normally forces the sleeve 44 to the left as viewed in Fig. 4 so as to throw the arm 48 out of the path of the cam 50. This is the position` of the parts when the rear end of the lever 30 is resting upon the periphery of the attern disc 31. When, however, the pattern isc has been rotated a sufficient distance and the rear end of the lever 29 is resting upon the face of the pattern disc 31, one of the cams 33 will engage and elevate the rear end of the lever 30, thus depressing its forward or inner end, drawing down on the link or rod 39 and turning the bell crank lever so as to shift the sleeve 44 against the tension of the spring 47 and bring the arni 48 into the path of the cam 50; As this cani recip'rocates with the clutch 51x during the knitting of the toe pocket the rear end of the yarn change lever 36 will be ele .rated when the low spots on the cam engage the arm 48 and will be depressed when the higlispot on the cam is acting upon the lever 48. Thus in the reciprocation of the cani 50 the yarn finger 37 is thrown into and out of operative position to feed yarn to the needles at suitable intervals governed by the number of needles in operation and by the position of the high and low7 spots on the cani 50.

As is well understood in the knitting of the toe ocket, a reciprocating operation, a needle is cropped with each reciprocation of the knitting head so that when the bottom of the toe pocket is being knit it will be gradually narrowed to the narrowest course at which time, through the-operation of the pattern control, needles will be added at each stroke so as to widen the upper portion of the toe pocket out to correspond with the width of the bottoni and to properly join the bot tom and top portions of the toe pocket at tlie side gores. It is at this point of widening of the upper portion of the toe pocket that the i lever 29 drops off' of one of the cams 32 so that the yarn finger 37 is thrown into action immediately upon beginning the widening of the toe pocket and is continued in this manner so long as is desired inserting the plating yarn which is carried by the yarn finger 37 throughout the full width of the courses and joining them with the under-courses of theL toe pocket in the selvage stitches. This operation is continued for a sufficient number of courses to carry lthe plating reinforcement far enough back from the tip to insure at all times reinforcement over the great toe nail. Then when ten or twelve courses have been knit in this manner, which is usually sufficient, one of the cams 33 is brought into engagement with the lever and the rear end of this lever elevated so as to depress its forward or inner end thus shifting the sleeve 44 and bringing the arm 48 into the path of the high splice cam 50, at which time the rear end of the level 29 is resting on the pattern disc 31 free of a cam 32. In the reciprocation of the cam 50 its low spots 50 and 50b are presented to the arm 48 which drops into such low spots by action of the spring 54. `When a low spot is engaged the link 53 is elevated through the arm 52 and the forward end of the yarn change lever 36 depressed thereby permitting the yarn finger 37 to be thrown into operation by the action of the spring 38. lVhen the high spot on the cam is brought into engagement with the foot 49 of ti'l'e arm 48 the rear end of the yarn change lever 36 will be depressed and the yarn finger 37 thrown upwardly against the tension of spring 38 so as to carry the yarn, feeding through said finger, out of the path of the needles.

When the lever 30 has its rear end resting upon the cam 33 the cam 50 will solely control the position of the yarn linger 37 and as constructed the cam is designed to throw the yarn linger out of operation at the sides of each course and to throw the yarn finger into operation at a point intermediate the length of each course so as to form a central panel for instance as shown in Fi 4 of the copending application filed eptember 24, 1927, Serial Number 221,666, Patent No. 1,7 22,639.

In order that the rod or wire 34 will not operate the lever 29 when the high splice cam is shifting the yarn change lever 36, we preferably provide' a loose connection between the lever 29 and the rod 34 so that upon depression of the rear end of the yarn change lever 36 the rod 34 will slide with respect to the lever 29 and will not operate the same. One form of a lost motion connection which will serve the purpose herein, is illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein thel rear end of the lever 29 is provided with a bifurcation 29a adapted tol receive the rod 34 and to permit said rod to freely slide in said bifurcation at certain times. The end of the rod 34 is shown as provided with a wide loop 34a which is engaged by the lever 29 when the forward or inner end is depressed by one of the cams 32, this of course occuring when the lever 30 has its rear end resting upon the pattern disc 31 and the arm 48 of the bell crank out of the path of the high splice cam.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the said patent, the reinforcement, knit into the upper panel of the toepocket, is in the form of an arrow head while in Fig; 3 of this same application the reinforcing is made inthe form of a rectangular panel having a width somewhat less than the width of the shortest course of the toe pocket. The operation of the machine as -iust described -covers the insertion of the plating thread to produce a panel similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4 of the said patent but we wish it to be understood that by proper adjustment of the cams on the pattern disc 31 or more specifically speaking the advancement of the cams 33 on the said cam disc 31 the operator may control the actuation of thelever 30 and the consequent reciprocation of the rod or wire 39 when the needles start the widening of the toe pocket and this operation can be continued as long as it is desired so as to form a rectangular panel of somewhat less width than the narrowest course of the toe pocket to produce a panel like that illustrated in Fig. 3 of the aforesaid application. In such case noue of the plating threads are extended to the side gores of the toe pocket and therefore the selvage stitches are not increased in bulk at any point.

lVhen knitting in a reinforcing or plating thread less than the width of the narrowest course the tension on the plating yarn must always be substantially the samen Under these circumstances,` when the varn'fi'nger carrying the plating thread is thrown out of operation, there would be considerable slack in the yarn between the yarn finger and the bobbin if no means were provided for taking up this slack and as a consequent result numerous float threads would be present on the inner side of the stocking` which would subsequently have to be removed in the usual manner. In order to prevent these float threads I secure to the side plate 3 a stud which extends diagonally away' from said side plate and has pivoted thereon a lever 56 one end of which normally rests upon the rear end o f the lever 29`as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The opposite end of the lever has adjustably secured thereto a rod 57 which eX- tends vertically and is connected through a coupling member 58 to a takeup wire 59 which is normally elevated by a spiral spring 60 surrounding said wire between a bracket arm 61 and an adjustable collar 62 secured to said Wire. The bracket 61 is carried by the usual bobbin stand rod 63 which also carries the takeup bracket 64. This bracket is apertured to permit the passage of the takeup wire 59 and is provided with pivoted ears 65 between which is pivoted the usual form of takeup lever 66 in the forward end of which is formed the usual yarn guide 67. The rear end of the lever 66 is connected by a spring 68`to the bobbin stand rod 63, which spring normally acts to elevate the forward end of the lever 66 when the lever is released by the takeup wire 59.

When the lever 29 has its rear end resting upon the pattern disc 31 the contacting end of the lever 56 will also be depressed permitting the sprin 60 to elevate the takeup wire and engage the takeup lever 66 between its pivot point and the connection of the spring 68 thus operating to depress the forward end of the lever 66 against the tension of the spring 68. In this position the forward end of the lever 29 is elevated with the result that the spring 38 has thrown the yarn finger into position to feed the yarn carried thereby into the path of the needles. l/Vhen 'the rear end of the lever Q9 is elevated upon a cam 32 the contacting end of the lever 66 will also beV elevatedand the takeup wire pulled downwardly against the tension of the spring 60 thus carrying the upper end of said wire out of engagement with the lever 66 permitting the spring 68 to elevate the forward end ofthe lever 66 and thus take up the slack caused by the elevation of the yarn Enger.

When the lever 29 has its rear end depressed and the rear end of the lever is elevated on a cam 33 said lever 30 fits within a notch 69 formed on the under side of the lever 56 so that this lever 56 does not interfere in any way with the operation of the ,lever 30 and vice versa.

lVhile we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention which is capable of knittingr into the toe pocket of a sock or stocking a reinforcing or plating thread which takes the form of the panels illustrated in Figs. 3 and l of our aforesaid cependino'v application, we wish it to be clearly understood that we are not limited to the exact mechanism herein disclosed as modifications of the various parts may be made without departing in any way from the'spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. lWe also wish it understood that the width of the plating courses may be of a width equal to or greater than the width the narrowest course or courses at the toe tip and where they are greater may be carried to the side gores just so long as these courses do not increase the bulk of the selvage stitches at a point back of the point of engagement of the great toe so that they would produce a line calculated to irritate the tender side skin of the great toe. rlhe character and shape of the panel formed by the in* sertion of the plating threads may be changed to suit conditions by simply making adjustments in the position of the cams that control the operation of the plating yarn.

guide.

What we claim is:

l. flhe combination witha circular stocking knitting machine, having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reiniorcing yarn carried thereby into and out of operative relation with the needles, of means brought into action during the wideningcourses of the reciprocating knitting for forming the top of the toe pocket, for throwing said yarn finger into operative relation with the needles lknitting a portion only of each of said reciprocating widening courses, to form a reinforced fabric on the top of the toe pocket of less width than said pocket.

2. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reinforcing yarn carried thereby into and out of 0perative relation with the needles, of means brought into action during the widening courses of the reciprocating knitting for forming the top of the toe pocket, for throwing said yarn finger into operative relation with all the needles of a plurality of reciprocating widening courses only to reinforce a different and increasing number of stitches in succeeding courses, and means independent of said last named means for th owing said yarn finger into and out o.. during the reciprocating knitting o widening courses in rear of said fullVv forcedcourses, to reinforce substantic same number of corresponding stitches in each of successive courses, less in numbe in the last fully reinforced course.

' 3. The combination with a circular stoeieing knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn finger, swingable to throw the reinforcing yarn carried thereby into and out of the operative relation with the needles, of means brought into action during the widening courses of the reciprocating knitting for forming the top panel of the toe pocket for throwing said yarn finger into operative relation with the needles knitting a portion only of each of said reciprocating widening courses to form a reinforced panel of less width than the courses and pattern mechanisin for controlling said means.

e. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine, having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reinforcing yarn carried thereby into and out of operative relation with the needles, of means brought into action during the widening courses of the reciprocating knitting for forming the top of the toe pocket, for throwing said yarn finger into operative relation with the needles knitting a portion only of each of said reciprocating widening courses, to form al reinforced fabric on the to y of the toe pocket of less width than said poc et, and means operating thereafter to intermittently throw s aid yarn finger into and out of operative relation with the needles at points intermediate the length of the course whereby a predetermined number of courses may be knit with the reinforcing thread being knitted into the courses for less than the full width of said courses.

5. rEhe combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn linger swingable tovthrow the vreinforcing yarn carried thereby into and out of op- "E se erative relation with the needles, a stripper pattern shaft and means for intermittently actuating said shaft, of means controlled by said striper pattern shaft and brought into action durin the widenin courses of the reciprocatin knitting for orming the top of the toe poc et, for throwing said yarn finger into operative relation with the needles knitting a portion only of each of said reciprocat ing widening courses to form a reinforced panel on the top of the toe pocket of less width than said toe pocket.

6. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reinforcing yarn carried thereb into and out of operative relation with the needles, a striper pattern shaft and means for intermittently actuating said shaft, of means controlled by said striper pattern shaft and brou ht into action durin the widenin courses o the reciprocatin ittin for orming the top of the toe poc et, for t rowing said yarn finger into operative relation with the needles to knit said reinforcin thread into each course throughout the widt thereof, and independent means for throwing said yarn finger into and out of operative relation with the needles during a predetermined number of following courses and at points intermediate the leno'th of the courses whereby a reinforced pane is knitted of less width than the width of the courses.

7. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reinforcing arn carried thereby into and out of operative relation with the needles, a striper pattern shaft, and means for intermittently actuating said shaft, of means controlled by said striper pattern shaft and brought into action during the widenin courses of the reciprocating knitting for orming the top of the toe pocket, for throwing said' yarn finger into operative relation with the needles to knit `said reinforcing thread into each course throughout the width thereof, and independent means controlled by the striper .pattern shaft for throwing said yarn finger into and out of operative relation with the needles during a predetermined number of following courses and at points intermediate the length of the courses whereby a reinforced panel is knitted ofless width than the width of the courses.

8. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a reinforcing yarn finger swingable to throw the reinforcing yarn carried thereb into` and out of operative relation with t e needles, a striper pattern shaft, and means for intermittently actuating said shaft, of means controlled by said striper pattern shaft and brought into action durin the widenin courses of the reciprocating 'tting for orming the top of controlling the width of the reinforcing thread course.

9. The combination with a circular stock-l ing knitting machine having a striper pattern shaft and means for intermittently ac- 3 tuating the saine, of a arn finger swingable to carry the yarn feeding therethrough into and out of the path of the needles during reeiprocating knitting, said yarn finger carrying a reinforcing thread, means controlled by the striper pattern shaft and operated at the start of the knitting of the narrowest course of the upper section of the toe pocket to throw said yarn finger into operative position to feed reinforcing yarn to the needles throughout the full width of the courses and for a predetermined number of courses, and independent means thereafter operating to intermittently throw the yarn finger into and out of operation whereby a predetermined number of courses may be knit without the plating thread being knitted into the courses for less than the full width of the said courses.

10. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine havin a striper shaft intermittently operated and a yarn finger swingable to carry a reinforcing yarn into and out of the path of the needles during reciprocating knitting, of means controlled by the striper pattern shaft for throwing said yarn finger into operative position to feed a reinforcing yarn into the path of the needles starting with the narrowest course of the upper section of the toe pocket, means for throwing said yarn finger out of operative position after a predetermined number of courses ofv reinforcin thread have been inserted, means control ed by the striper pattern shaft for thereafter intermittently throwing the finger into and out of operative yarn feeding position whereby reinforcing yarn is fed to said needles at points intermediate the ends of the courses, and means operated by the first named means for taking up the slack in the reciprocating thread when the yarn finger is thrown out of operative feeding position.

11. The combination with a circular stocking knitting machine having a high spliced cam and a striper pattern shaft, means for intermittently operating said shaft, means for reciprocating said high spliced cam and a yarn finger swingable to throw a reinforcing yarn carried thereby into and out of actuated by said striper pattern shaft for throwing the yarn finger into operative yarn feeding position at the start of reciprocating knitting of the narrowest course of the upoperative relation with the needles of a lever per panel of the toe pocket, and means controlled by the striper pattern shaft and actuated b the high spliced cam and connected to sai lever for intermittently throwing the yarn finger into and out of operative yarn feeding position whereby said reinforcingthread may be knitted into the course of the Aupper section of the toe pocket for a. distance-less than the full width of said courses.

In testimony whereof we aix oui` signatures.

JOSEPH HAAS. RUSSELL EVANS. 

